neu340 - Invertebrate Neuroscience - Neurophysiology (Complete module description)

2 SWS Seminar (SE)
Total workload 72h: 28h contact / 44h background literature reading, preparation for short tests, portfolio assignments and results presentation

3 SWS Supervised exercise (UE)
Total workload 108h: 42h contact / 66h data analysis and preparation of portfolio assignments)

attendance in pre-meeting

++ Neurosci. knowlg.
++ Expt. Methods
+ Scient. Literature
+ Social skills
+ Maths/Stats/Progr.
+ Independent Research
+ Data present./disc.
+ Scientific English
+ Ethics

Upon successful completion of this course, students

• have knowledge on invertebrate neuronal systems in comparison to vertebrate systems
• have discussed an overview of experimental and theoretical methods of invertebrate neuroscienc
• have acquired first practical skills in intracellular recordings from invertebrate neurons
• have acquired basic skills in data analysis
• have acquired an intuitive understanding of membrane potential and action potential generation based on computer simulations

The module consists of three weeks of seminar and hands-on lab exercises on intracellular recordings from leech neurons, as well as computer simulations to study the basis of membrane potential and action potential generation.

The seminar covers the following topics:

• Invertebrate neuronal systems in comparison to vertebrate systems
• Ion channels, membrane potential and action potential generation
• Introduction to electrophysiological methods
• Introduction to data analysis methods

In the practical exercises, portfolio assignments will be performed on:

• Qualitative electrophysiological classification of different cell types in the leech nervous system
• Quantitative analysis (stimulus - response relationship) of at least one cell type
• Action potential generation: Comparison of model simulations and experiments
• Planning a small individual team-work project based on the techniques taught in this module,  that can be used as basis for the module neu345

Course scripts and mandatory scientific literature (3 review articles) discussed in the seminar will be available in Stud.IP Background and seminar literature will be available in Stud.IP

this module provides the background for neu345 "Neural Computation in invertebrate systems"

during the course (summer term, second half)

Portfolio consisting of short tests, short reports (according to portfolio assighnments) and seminar presentation